This invention relates to sanitary protection products, and more particularly, to body adhering panty shields, sanitary napkins, incontinence devices and the like. In accordance with this invention, products are provided wherein a pressure sensitive adhesive is placed on body contacting surfaces of the product, to permit its attachment directly to the hair and/or skin of the user, rather than to an undergarment.
Sanitary protection products, such as panty shields, sanitary napkins, incontinence devices and the like have heretofore conventionally been attached to the body of a user by mechanical means, such as belts, and assisted by attachment means such as pins and hooks. Products requiring adhesive tapes, velcro tapes, spring-like clasps and flaps have also been proposed. Most recently, and for some years, products have been attached to the crotch of the user's undergarment by means of pressure sensitive adhesive strips and patches on a surface of the product that faces away from the user's body and toward the inside of the undergarment and by adhesive and mechanical flaps that envelop the panty crotch. Adhesive is currently the most widely used means of attachment. However, the effectiveness of such conventional means is limited by distorting, shearing and conflicting movements of the undergarment and body, which distort the product and cause it to move away from a position in which it is able to reliably and intimately contact the body. These distorting, shearing and conflicting movements can occur between different parts of the body, as with the highly mobile opposite motions of each of the buttocks and of the thighs relative to themselves and relative to the less mobile structures of the perineal areas such as the vulva and labia.
Distorting, shearing and conflicting movements and forces also occur as a result of relative movement between the body and the panty. This is especially aggravated when the panty is loose fitting, thereby exerting a pulling away from the body in addition to the distorting and conflicting forces of the panty in directions backward, forward and sideways while the body moves in somewhat opposite backward, forward and lateral directions.
Additionally, adhesives which have been used to attach known devices to undergarments are often sufficiently aggressive to leave residues on the undergarment and at times to tear the undergarment on removal. Also, at times, insufficient adhesive is available to keep the product attached to the area of initial attachment to the undergarment or to keep the product attached at all to the undergarment during the period of use.
It has now been found, unexpectedly, that the body contacting surface of sanitary protection products such as panty shields, sanitary napkins, incontinence devices and the like can be coated with a light deposit of a pressure sensitive adhesive so as to create a body-attachable product that is easy to apply directly and intimately to skin or to hair; does not fall off during vigorous activity and body movement or when the user is sitting on the toilet; is comfortable to wear; be reattached; and is painless and otherwise atraumatic to remove. It has further unexpectedly been found that such products can be made so that they exhibit the above-described desirable attachment, wear, use and removal properties whether attached to skin or to hair. For the purpose of this disclosure panty shields and sanitary napkins will be used as examples. It has still further unexpectedly been found that the design of the products of this invention, as well as the design, nature and amount of adhesive used in the body facing adhesive coating of the products of this invention, permit the elimination of most, if not all, of the adhesive-protecting release papers customarily used in such products.
It is not necessary to attach the products of this invention to an article of clothing such as a panty or pantyhose. In fact, the products of this invention can be worn without undergarments and certainly with sports garments such as exercise suits and swimsuits. It has also unexpectedly been found that products in accordance with this invention can be made to fit so closely to the body that the effect of interanatomic movements and of movements between the body and clothing are minimized. This close fit and lack of movement minimizes the tendency of the product to bunch up, rope, twist or otherwise distort. Products of this invention, being worn quite close the sources of body liquids, the liquids being comprised mainly of menses, urine and perspiration, are most likely to intercept and absorb the liquids before they can escape beyond the product's confines. Thus leakage protection and comfort are maintained and even enhanced.
Products in accordance with this invention are easy to apply, attach directly and intimately to the body, tend to stay securely in place and do not distort during use. Moreover, they are comfortable to wear and painless to remove. They do not pull the pubic hair nor do they irritate the skin.
Such products are also simpler in construction and often smaller than traditional panty shields or sanitary napkins. Since they adhere so intimately to the body, there is less need in their structure for extra absorbent areas and exaggerated shapes or for additional elements such as attachment wings and tabs, elastic curving and shaping means, leakage protecting cuffs and resilient and deformation resisting elements. Some designs, as discussed above, in accordance with the invention do not require release paper to protect the adhesive on the body contacting surface, thereby providing distinct economic, operational, environmental and use advantages. Some panty shields and sanitary napkin designs of this invention do not require a separate cover element for the absorbent core, since the adhesive coating and in some instances binders within the core provide sufficient mechanical integrity and abrasion resistance for the surface of the core. The result is a low cost product that fits close to the body and has little tendency to shift or bunch up during wear.
The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.